Rosy Paradox
by WhiteGloves
Summary: With him as his own company plus the TARDIS,the Doctor continued crossing the Universe without a companion. Not after Donna's curse & Rose who was not only a Universe away from him but at heart too.Her life was no longer in his hands. Till this disarrayed signal came contacting the TARDIS & the Doctor was in for another shock. And Rose comes back again but in pieces. What happened?
1. Red & Blue

***Rosy Paradox***

 _~WhiteGloves~_

 ** _~I am in too many fandoms~_**

WHO isn't? ;)

But the Doctor and Rose just got/deserve love from here too!

 _ **-Enjoy Reading!-**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Red & Blue**_

* * *

The stars twinkled white and yellow in the silent space and for a moment everything was peaceful and quiet. Quite right too but nobody knew that—nobody was watching the galaxy at the moment for all were busy in their own affairs be them aliens and more aliens; humans were always preoccupied to look up at the sky (except maybe for Donna's uncle, Wilf, bless him) so never mind them.

Still, for a short-lived moment, the universe was at peace.

Till starlight made a horizontal mark on the otherwise dark sky, cascading down its path and seemingly without any point of direction. Using starlight to describe it was an understatement, however, it was more of a blue hurricane. That _police box_ known as the TARDIS making an appearance in blinking seconds till it was gone.

If people had seen it, they were lucky. It had been awhile since the _box_ had landed on earth. It had been awhile since a human had glimpse of that tall, thin, young man with too much hair wearing a pinstriped suit and tie.

Everything on Earth was quiet, uneventful and downright boring if one must say.

Meanwhile, an assault was happening inside the TARDIS as it violently shook its inside while twirling in outer space and time. Like a spinning top, it continued to race down and long the open highway of the universe to who knows where with only the Doctor at its command. Oh yes, _The Doctor_ who was now battling the inside of the tornado with all energy, like he usually does, with hands clamped the metal railings made for such rigorous activity.

 _"Come on then, we can't make biscuits without beating the eggs!"_ the Doctor called out with a huge, split grin on his face, his eyes dancing excitedly in the middle of the tumult like there was nothing he would rather be doing than feeling his body getting violently shaken by the TARDIS. He continued rambling on, _"Although that would make a fine analogy—however most of the finest things on earth are produced by proper mixings, shakings and shagging— oh did I just say 'shagging'? Oh yeeesss, shaggingly shagging shagging—what fine beings Earthen people are— they are all basically living in a TARDIS except they're stuck on one cosmos and time— don't you agree, eh?"_

He looked up brightly on his left expecting to find another jovial face of a companion excited for this adventure but there was none. The Doctor paused despite the roll and travelled his eyes slightly on the blank space usually occupied by a friend, a _comrade in fun_ but found it empty. The sight reminded him he was on his own and _alone._

For a split second, the smile on the Doctor's face disappeared, the light on his eyes faded and his hearts lost their music like a machine getting shut down—but like a reminder that he was not _actually alone,_ there was a feet-lifting shake like a car hitting a bump on the road without warning from the TARDIS—and the Doctor's head bobbed on his shoulders—

" _Oomph!"_ was the only sound he could make before turning up the TARDIS again. "Oi! You can't keep making me lose my head— _amnesia isn't going to work on me._ And the idea is actually dangerous—imagine me losing me, _again_?"

Another bumpy shake on the floor made the Doctor roll his eyes and turn to the screen again.

"Well, mash up we should be reaching the Galloway soon. Then we can make double Ood heads and fish toes on what in Kafka is causing your radar to respond red when we're across dimensions."

It's true, since a few months back the TARDIS had been acting weird with its radar always sensing a disturbance from different spaces on the universe. It was only a red signal at first, hardly determinable by its distance and location as it only kept on appearing and disappearing like playing hit the mole—it would go on and off and whenever the TARDIS sensed it and soon disappears on the next beat. The Doctor had been curious of the activity for weeks—what kind of object would make the TARDIS react so uncomfortably? The Doctor could feel it tremble on his very skin like a restless bee agitated to find its way home? The TARDIS had gone on for another week like that that when the third warning from the radar appeared, the Doctor decided to pursue it. _Allon—sy_ it should be fun ride!

With luck (which was extremely rare considering it could have taken him another century) it took him another week to find the signal and hook up on to it, which brought him and the TARDIS spinning on that side of the Universe till the _stop._ The signal was stagnant on the monitor and Doctor just knew this was the _time_ he can finally expose the true meaning behind the unknown source of mystery. If fortune would have it, it might be another discovery—an alien amongst alien— or another treasure lost in the Universe.

The signal was stronger after finally making it out of the zone and the Doctor had to pull one of the levers for a more stable movement before finally letting go of the metal railing he was clinging on. It took him awhile to check out the outside for then, his head had automatically turned on his surrounding again, ready to ask that eternal question to his companion— _'Ready to see what's out there?'_

It didn't take him two heartbeats to remember there was no one there.

"Shall we see it then?" he asked loudly as he focused his glasses on the screen once more and pushed buttons to zoom the screen outside and squinted his eyes at the empty space. The signal didn't turn off this time, after so many times of trying to catch it, it was finally unmoving; like it had been suspended in midair a few feet from where the TARDIS was yet cannot quite visibly see it. The Doctor waited patiently with bright eyes expectant on the monitor.

It didn't take him long to hear himself chant repeatedly the words as a sign of growing impatience.

"Come on, come one… show yourself, what are you?" he drummed his fingers on the panel with unblinking eyes ever on the empty space where the signal was. "I wouldn't let you get away this time when I'm this curious… come on…"

In the heat of anticipation, it came as a surprise to the Doctor when the screen shut black—

" _What?"_ he heard himself exclaim, though he was also sure he said that in another, much heavily accented language. He clicked the buttons on the panel again with confusion and vexation painting on his expression that ended in a familiar arch of eyebrows. His fingers took the challenged however and went on pushing more buttons that had something to do with emergency wiring, emergency satellites and just about any emergency extras he could get himself on—till finally the screen flickered on again and there—on his screen which was empty a moment ago now he found a large, flat vessel ten times the size of the TARDIS. It looked like a beaten war vessel with some of its parts already rusty; patches of metal plates were around it from its many repairs and one of its anchors was broken but all the same, it was still working. A white flag above it suggests as much as the Doctor expected. It was one of his favorite ships of all next to TARDIS—the _Galleon._

The Doctor stared in amazement for awhile and then a split second next, he was smiling wide.

"No, really?" he muttered excitedly as he clicked on the panel again to raise his signal to be acknowledged. Contact transmission was established in the next second and on his screen appeared a face of one of the galactic hosts whose race the Doctor was familiar with: _Fuotars—merchants of the Universe._

"Will you look at that? The Lord I was just looking for!" beamed the alien on the monitor who looked like an oversized, overgrown human-lion but with thickening eyebrows, dark orbs for eyes and brown furs all over the body and no ears, except for three holes on each side and on the forehead wearing red armory. "A new face but still the same— _The Doctor and the TARDIS!_ Well, I can only recognize you because of your box—"

"Oh, old space junkie!" the Doctor ejaculated with his nose almost pressed on the screen as he addressed the Captain of the ship he had helped on some occasions. "I mean very very old—"

"Yeah, yeah, careful on the junkie—" the Fuotar shook its mane head, "We don't actually collect junks—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," the Doctor imitated the Fuotar's tone, "You go 'round different orbits picking up stuff lost on the outer space and bid and sell them according to value—of course no, that's not a full description of 'junk' at all. Cleaning the Universe from unwanted scrapes lying around…" He grinned amicably upon seeing the creature roll its dark eyes. "How are you friend, Sully?" he proceeded on asking.

"Describe 'friend', eh? And who's Sully? Have you been talking to my brother? It's Ruffold." Ruffold shrugged his mane, "Still _treasure hunting,_ I suppose? Business is booming on this side, the Galleon's been busy cruising here and there." He referred to the gigantic ship. "How about you? Still getting lost 'bout the Universe? And with a new body—how many times have you died this cycle? Been awhile since I last saw you—what was it?A century ago? You look a spot younger—"

"Don't exaggerate, it's way _spot_ than that and it's been half millennia." He grins manically at the memory.

"No? Just last time you were poking around my treasure chest and what've you found—"

"Bulb for the top of my TARDIS, button of my coat and uh… oh, my flat shoes! Really valuable all of them are." he chuckled as he tapped his foot on the ground. "But basically they all look like stuff from earth—"

"How many humans have gotten lost over the century in the space of the future, you should know, you're the Time Lord. All of them getting sucked by wormholes and cracks in time. You should see the Crates of Dipper—damn that was a real slice for Earthlings just because they can't keep their feet on their own ground."

"Yep, they can't. And hey, I did Crates of Dipper." The Doctor looked thoughtful for awhile, his eyebrows contorting as he raised a hand and rubbed his chin, "I was there following something…" then his eyes fell on the red signal on his radar and almost cursing himself, he remembered why he was there in the first place. The Galleon was unmoving; the same with the signal and adding the two together didn't take long for the Doctor to figure out. "Which reminds me, have you been scavenging this area for a while?"

"Describe 'a while."

"Weeeell, y'know… half an hour at least?"

"No, we've only just teleported here right before we found you. Why? Are you looking for anything specific? I can sell—"

"You should know better than to ask me that—I look for many things—I could be looking for you but possibly not right now, but I might be in different time and space—" he was cut off midsentence as Ruffold raised a hand.

"Well, still asking in case you want something I have. Mind you—we've got tons of pickup last week and a month ago. Can't believe we've gotten those things ahead of the pirate ships, if you know what I mean—"

"Yep—always know what everybody means. Hang on—" the Doctor felt something hit him at the back of his mind, "Didn't you say 'the Lord I've been looking for'? You been looking for me?"

"Tell me who doesn't look for you." Ruffold gave a short chuckle and said something behind him before turning back on the screen, "Tell you what—why don't you come aboard and look around the new ones we've found?"

The Doctor hid his glee. "Oh, I don't know… your stuffs are taken from outer space, which means there are still owners out there who could want em' back."

"Basically dead owners," Ruffold smirked, "and if they are alive, I tell you they usually turn out to be the aliens we occasionally pick up flying on space, lost and who do not give inkling to their objects afterwards but only their safety passage back to the space police. Except for that one time we caught a flying blue box that lost its power. The owner didn't shed conscience and literally tied himself to the blue box while there I was thinking he would show gratitude by giving it for me to sell. Stubborn old Time Lord, that alien was."

The Doctor was grinning from ear to ear as Ruffold winked at him. "That's why I love your spaceship! Well, not more than I love the TARDIS—she could hear us, y'know?"

"The entrance is accessible now, come on in."

The Doctor was already controlling his panel when he heard Ruffold speak again.

"Incidentally, Doctor, didn't you say you were the last of your kind?"

"Yeah." Still pushing buttons. "Why?"

"Well, one of our pickup last week was an alien and she's still on board. That's why I had wanted to find you. You might want to look her up. It didn't seem like she wants to go to the galaxy police. It didn't seem like she wants to do anything at all."

The Doctor arched an eyebrow for a second, before making a face with lips downward.

"Yeah, I'm the Doctor. But why not just send her to a medical planet? It's been a week—she could've been worst now. What if you haven't found me?" The TARDIS began its shaky descend towards the open mouth of the Galleon. Turning his head up, he found Ruffold looking back at him curiously. "What?"

"Well, as strange as the cosmos go… this little lady alien got _two hearts."_

The Doctor didn't seem much amaze as he shrugged. "Aliens, two heads, two bellies, two hearts? Like Deagles race you mean? You can't keep associating me with double-double limby, now captain—"

"No. The scanner we used for sanitation identified her as a _Time Lord_."

The Doctor who had been talking nonsensical took a beat to absorb what was said. He looked inquiringly at the Fuotar who blinked back at him, not intending to repeat what he said. When finally it seemed like there was no change in the testament did the Doctor's jaw dropped and his voice tuned up in disbelief—

 _"What?"_

* * *

"There's got to be a mistake." The Doctor said once he was already on the corridor of the Galleon in his pinstriped suit and hands jammed deep on both pockets. Captain Ruffold met him as they secured the TARDIS and was now leading him to a show room of the rarest object in the Universe the Doctor could get his eyes on. Objects by objects were on display case—most of them of human made which was considered of high value depending on age. The Doctor stopped to look at one long stick made of wood with what appeared to be a human finger at the end. Making another face, the Doctor went on walking and saw metals and stones of different nature on the next display case. Guns, spears and other weaponry were on the next aisle and this perked up the Doctor's interest someone. "Your collection for weapons has increased, I noticed."

"A group of space bandits just went toe to toe with the galaxy police last month, most of those objects were the ones left behind. Mind you, I did get proper authorization for that."

"From who?"

"Me."

"That's saying a lot."

"I'm the Captain."

The Doctor chuckled. "Well, I don't like weapons you know. Don't like, don't like don't like fighting."

"You've always been the pacifist as far as I remember. But you always still tinker yourself into trouble. I heard about the Daleks, the whole universe did."

"I don't like them either and I suppose, so unless I could help with bare hands and screwdrivers—tell me is that a Primitive axe?" he pointed to a white rock the size of half the TARDIS door.

"It is. Got it from Asgardian planet couple of days back." Ruffold stood behind the Doctor who went on admiring the axe. "Are you not that concern with the lady alien?"

"Huh?" the Doctor glanced up and the two began walking again, "No, no not really. There could be some mistakes with data, because believe me when I tell you I'm the last of my kind. No other little lady aliens should come after my step is what I'm telling you."

"Well, that's just your luck then since she's very unresponsive." They stopped in front of a close door which opened upon the Captain's palm touch on a button. They went inside. "But she's very pretty. If she's really lost and you won't claim her then I suppose I have to—"

The Doctor's eyes sharpened as he glanced at the alien beside him—

"You're not selling her, are you?" he asked, his voice was point calm, which was usually a bad thing for the receiving end.

"Well," the Captain swayed his head uncomfortably, "this is a Galleon ship, what else do you think it does?"

"Should I remind you of the Galactic Law of Alien trafficking?" The Doctor felt heat at the pit of his stomach and for a moment, their walk was cut short with the Doctor's heavy eyebrows and eyes on his companion. He knew there were some shady activities with a ship this big but it shall not happen under his watch. The Doctor considered the lady alien saved because at that moment he just wanted to pick her up and bring her to the space police himself.

"Well, not that I intended it to," Ruffold cleared his throat and they began walking again, "She was just there on the display case when a patriot customer came by and saw her. He wants her is all I'm saying—but I didn't sell her—obviously she's still around." They turned a corner and stopped at wall which looked more like a window with its blinds drawn. The Captain pushed the button to reveal what's on the other side. "But if you're not gonna claim her, then she's all his. I'm not keeping her for fun, Doctor."

The display glass opened crystal clear and what the Doctor saw was enough for him to forget about _all the knowledge in the world,_ for there, right before his eyes, appearing like some sort of a ghost was the face he had been too keen to see in his long life even just once- but knew it impossible.

"No…" he found himself whispering as he stepped into the glass and raised a hand to reach for her but the glass separated them. A convulsion of fire erupted from his insides upon seeing her there in the next beat— that blonde hair, those brown eyes that used to be fiery bright now dampen in spirits and blank… encapsulated in a glass cage— but it was impossible… the sight of her with arms around her knees, staring in emptiness, wearing a white gown—she seemed cold but nobody seemed to give attention to it.

"Do you know her?" Ruffold called from somewhere far. "If you do I mightn't give her to my customer after all, as a show of good faith—"

 _"Release her. Now."_ His hands had closed into fists, his eyes fixed upon her.

"What?"

The Doctor turned to the Captain with blazing eyes of fire and daggers— _he had never felt so much anger in his life—not after the war—not after the constant threat to the people he cared about—not this so much anger to find Rose—even if it was a replica of some sort—whatever was the explanation—no figure of Rose in his mind's eye will be allowed to exist like this—!_

 _"I said release her! NOW!"_ the Doctor, in rage, yelled for the whole Galleon to hear.

* * *

 ** _*TBD*_**

 _ **A/N:** Sorry if it's a bit crappy. Me muddledhead but I got the story straight ;)_

 _Will be seeing the chapter soon!_

 **~Thanks for Reading~**


	2. White & Grey

***Rosy Paradox***

 _~WhiteGloves~_

 ** _~Doctor in Rage so watch out!_**

 _*These... these amazing otp... Doctor Who classic tandem!*_

 _ **-Enjoy Reading!-**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2: White & Grey**_

* * *

The Galleon smoothly glided on its way with white blinking lights on each side, signaling to any other space craft on its way in the middle of the darkened, star-filled space. Metallic claws were suspended on both sides of the ship ready to snatch whatever it could find lying about for it was its purpose: to take what others lost, what others don't need and what others seemed to have forgotten and give it value. The grand-sized, beat-up spaceship known for its hauling functions went on with only the humming sound of its machinery at work, ready to do its trade of crossing orbits.

And everything was in proper order in the galaxy, silent and at peace.

Except when you go inside of the ship where the _Doctor_ was at the limit of his temperament and rage and when the Doctor was like that those who know him know better to stay away _as far as possible,_ especially the ones who were on his _bad side._ It was no feat getting the Doctor angry for there were few things that could make the peaceful Time Lord all genuinely _bad and moody._ Only few. And on top of those was just the slightest notion of a _threat to her name._

What now that he find her—or her doppelganger— sitting there on the cold display of a merchant's ship like she was some sort of product to sell? The Doctor could barely contain his anger. It was taking him a toll not to disdain the master behind her image of all white and grey; otherwise the good fella Galleon Captain would be receiving his wrath.

Ruffold, the ship's captain, was in for some bombshell.

The Doctor did not wait for any invitation as he strode his way on the corridor to the other side of the room where the door of this _Rose-look-alike_ could be found. Ruffold was right behind him looking unusually surprised at the Doctor's agitation to open the door without waiting for any permission but the Captain supposed it was alright, especially when he get to see that _sonic-screwdriver_ again. He always had a penchant for Time Lord inventions that had always been rare since millennia.

"I suppose he won't be in the mood to show me that again." He told himself as he followed the seemingly rampant alien.

And the first door opened, the Doctor bolted in right away but almost automatically—halted in confusion—Ruffold knew why—there was another door standing on the Doctor's way as if to challenge his patience.

" _Two doors?"_ he said, quite incensed as he threw himself on the control panel to open it.

 _"Three."_ The Captain shrugged when the Doctor glared at him briefly.

"Why d'you lock her up with three security measures for?"

"There's been a case of attempted robbery. You know that I take pride on not getting ' _stealed'_ from by anyone— no matter what or how my object is—"

"She _is not an object._ Definitely not _yours."_ The Doctor said through gritted teeth as he jumped away automatically when the door opened and nearly jammed his sonic device on the last door, "I don't want you to say that about her anymore… _'friend'._ "

"Again, define it." Ruffold made a snorting sound as the opening of the sensor door took time and all the while the captain had been wondering quietly to himself. "I understand she is a friend of yours?"

The door slid open and the Doctor was gone in a heartbeat, leaving Ruffold sighing to himself and remaining still, planning to wait for them outside the room. It wasn't the first time the Doctor made himself feel _so at home_ and _so in charge of the ship_ with him bouncing up and about the first time he set foot in there. It was also useless to initiate _warning_ for the Doctor never heeds especially when you say _stop._ There was _no stopping_ him when he looked like an overexcited bee circling from on one room to another. No stopping him _ever_ when he looked like he was about to explode in anger either so best, as Ruffold had learned long time ago, to let him. _Let the mad Doctor get the lady and let them leave as soon as possible before his ship topples over._

Because the Doctor is just capable of doing that— just now be it _friend_ or whatnot, especially when it came to this particular _lady Time Lord,_ it seemed. How relieved the Captain was he didn't sell her to his best customer. He didn't want the customer to land into trouble, is all. Let him take her, payment unnecessary but _peace_ , and continue his Galleon's silent cruising.

Because _peace_ was not on the Doctor's strong points even though he claims it, everyone in the Universe knows that. Still, he was trustworthy—much more than any other aliens Ruffold has met. Everyone in the Universe also knows that. He is one whole package you either keep or throw and still be there, there goes the saying.

When minutes passed and the Doctor still didn't come out did Ruffold decided to step in.

"Have you frozen in time now, Time Lord?" He found the Doctor only just standing there, feet from him, not moving an inch and just staring at the blonde lady who did not give any sign that she noticed her room just got infiltrated. The room was shadowy with only one light at the top of her head that made her look like one of those mannequin displays you see, unmoving, too white and beautiful, except there were heartbeats. The Fuotar could just hear it with his sensitive _three-hole_ ears. He knows the Doctor could hear it too.

"Do you believe me now, Doctor? She's as good as any Time Lord you'll ever see."

But the Doctor was only half listening as his eyes drank in her appearance with his own face defeating the straight look. She looks like _her._ _She is her?_ He has to know… Yet he could not brave himself to get closer, afraid that his fears may get confirmed. He wanted to call her but the name wouldn't escape his lips.

 _It couldn't be her, no._

 _Yet it is her._

Ruffold bowed his head, shook his mane and without another word, reached his furry hand on the Doctor's pinstriped back and gave him a violent push—to which the Doctor responded by almost running towards her bed and slowly kneeling in front of her so he could see her eyes. He forgot time and space when he looked at her familiar face despite its weariness and pallor which he so abhor— the face that was distinctively _her._

What in all Peladonian happened to her? _Why is she…?_

The Doctor gulped hard and wanted to reach his palms on her face, to make her _look at him_ because she wasn't. Her eyes were dead and unresponsive and that was what he was most afraid of.

 _Not to be recognized by her eyes._

 _Call her,_ a voice at the back of his mind said.

It had been awhile—a long while since he mentioned her name which was already hidden in the same vault of secrets as _his real name, hidden and protected from others._ There he kept it close to his hearts, there he kept it without anyone needing to know except him for all eternity. Until now.

 _"Rose?"_ the Doctor whispered as he found his voice and it broke him to say it aloud as memories flooded his vision that nearly sent him cold. The memories were all there, _never forgotten—from the first time they met with the explosion of her work place, to her jumping and saving him from the nestling consciousness, the expanding of the sun, the time they spent under the snow, under the shooting Daleks up to her getting taken as the Bad Wolf… saying their goodbye… meeting again under the threat of the Bad Wolf… having her close to him… and saying their goodbye again he never really thought 'for good'._ All of it crashed at that moment's notice till there was nothing left but for him to clutch her cold hands when she didn't answer. _"Rose, it's me."_

He looked down at their hands and realized his grip was shaking it made him grin wide.

"Look at me, all fidgety when meeting _Rose Tyler…_ as usual. You still have the same charms on me whenever I see you… All excitedly blue with whitely star sparks… and rainbow except its all yellow…"

He looked up at her with his stupid grin, his eyes watering and wishing her same bright smile was there to meet his. It wasn't. She remained as immobile as he had found her outside the glass window, cold and empty. The Doctor's lips thinned because then _— he did confirm something as he touched her hand and_ it made him angrier rather than happier.

Because this was the _real_ Rose.

 _His Rose Tyler with two hearts, cold as ice, captured and put in a glass window for other creatures to ogle at and lost for how long in the Universe?_ Oh the Doctor was so angry he wanted to lash out to the responsible creatures and let them have the taste of the Zygons!

He gritted his teeth and there were those _unknown_ malevolent look in his eyes. But all of the turbulence he was feeling instantly vanished when out of nowhere, Rose' eyes turned to his as if to feel his tension.

"Rose?" he whispered, his chest getting crushed by something so heavy that both his hearts seemed to have stopped functioning and for a moment, all was lost once again as the Doctor waited for her to speak and call out his name.

Then he realized he wanted her to remember. More than anything in this world, for her to _remember…_

But Rose continued looking at a distant, unseeing, contained and lifeless.

The Doctor's jaw tightened and he embraced her tight with one swift hand on her head and the other around her shoulder, pulling her close.

 _"I'm sorry."_

* * *

It didn't take long to get Rose in a warm room after the Doctor swept her off her feet and carried her to the guest room that Ruffold offered himself. A blanket was next wrapped around her with the Doctor sitting next to her on the cushioned settee, warming her up with his arms around her shoulder, after having asked to turn on the room's temperature too.

When she was settled with her attention still the span of a fish, the Doctor looked up at the ship's captain who was glad the dark ambiance around him had slowly settled but knew the flame was nowhere near dead.

"I told you she _is a Time Lord._ You were the one who didn't believe it in the first place." Ruffold said in defense.

"Where did you find her?" the Doctor's grim tone suggested no time be wasted.

"Ophiuchus Cluster, about 0.15 outside. She was inside one of those emergency capsules you see floating around every turn of the orbit. Obviously to us it appeared like it was sucked up by a black hole and went on tumbling across space for weeks outside the Milky Way. We found her there unconscious and when she came into she wouldn't speak."

"Where's her capsule?"

"It's empty, I assure you."

"I want to see it."

"I'll lead you to it—"

"I don't want to leave her." The Doctor looked not so modest in asking that made the Fuotar frown a little.

"What do you propose to happen?" he nearly snarled if not for the fact that he really liked this Time Lord.

Minutes next the capsule was brought there in the room by some crew members. It was small, almost the size of a door with its grey linings and white coat where the numbers 1915185 was written, almost unseen because of the damage sustained on one side.

"We found her unconscious. We also do not know how long she has been there," Ruffold watched as the Doctor inspected the inside with eyes narrowing. The inside was like sitting on an enclosed comfortable zone of white cushion, sturdy as metal but soft as a cloud.

"It got broken on impact… was she injured?" he moved around the capsule with hands on his pocket.

"No, there were no detected broken parts or any damage on her when she was scanned."

"It's like the TARDIS." The Doctor then went on while the Fuotar gave him the most surprised look.

"You mean small in the outside—"

"Bigger on the inside, yeah," the Time Lord found himself moving back beside Rose and instinctively wrapping an arm around her motionless form before looking up the captain. "But it had collapsed. I don't think the damaged was caused by anything from here… I think it was already broken before Rose used it."

"You mean… she came out of battle?"

"Possibly." The Doctor looked down the lady with a press of his lips. "Are you sure there was nothing inside when you opened the capsule?"

"We've looked high and low and there's nothing but… well, there was that but…" the Captain looked hesitant as the Doctor's forehead crinkled, his bright eyes suspicious. Then as if understanding what happened in the next beat, Doctor spoke quietly it defeated the meaning of _calm._

"What did you sell that was with her?"

"We didn't think it was of any importance… the customer wanted it— _I couldn't say no twice._ Let's just say it was her payment for getting towed—"

 _"What was it?"_

"A pocket watch."

The Doctor's hand was quick inside his pocket without blinking away from Ruffold. His theory of why Rose was back _without his human replica version_ was slowly getting some light. The Doctor raised his hand and let his own pocket watch dangle in its string. "You mean this pocket watch?"

The captain blinked at the watch and nodded.

"A facsimile that is."

"You said you couldn't say 'no twice'—but you never say no if you can help it unless it's a fair price." the Doctor went on, his eyes burning on the Captain again, "What did your customer ask in the first place?"

Ruffold turned to the lady beside the Doctor and nodded again. "Her. It was her or the pocket watch."

The Doctor was silent for awhile, his eyes looking faraway than it intended and as his understanding deepened, there were only few more questions that needed to be asked.

"Who were they and where were they headed? Did they start asking for her the moment you found her?"

"Humanoids from Ten Galaxies calling themselves High Echelon, but they don't return there anymore they have this flat spaceship with solar band in the middle, you'll easily recognize it."

"I've heard of Echelon but not 'high'. New nomenclature I see…" The Doctor whispered mostly to himself as he looked away, "Must be the same species but with different authorities on front lines. But how would they know where she'd be coming from… were they actually looking for her… and the pocket watch us Time Lords would know…"

"I see your hands are full but I cannot help you more." The Fuotar caught the Doctor's eyes. "These Echelons are good purchasers of mine…"

"Yet you still did not give her in when you recognize her as a Time Lord?" the Doctor raised his eyebrows to heaven.

Ruffold scowled. "I said I wanted you to confirm her existence and now that you did—how do I benefit from it?"

"My trust." The Time Lord wasn't looking away as he addressed the Captain. "I owe you one."

"That makes us equal."

"Yes, and no… you still sold her only means of getting herself back, you know."

"I really didn't…" Ruffold's eyes fell on Rose for a moment, "What is she doing?"

For then Rose had suddenly reached her hand on the pocket watch dangling in front of her—the second notable movement—and had slowly touched the circular object her eyes had recognized and had focused on. The Doctor watched her every move with concern and interest as he moved down the floor to face her again.

"Do you recognize it?" he whispered softly as he saw her eyes begin to give life a little, "Rose, do you know what this is?" His hearts raced when she opened her lips to answer, her thin fingers enclosing on the watch and the Doctor let her have it, watching her every expression with a stab on his own hearts as she held the watch close to her lips.

"Rose?" his voice quivered at how silent the tears were streaming down her face, "It's alright, you don't have to hold it back… cry, Rose…" but she wouldn't. She kept her lips tightly closed and her eyes unblinking, the blanket on her shoulder falling.

The Doctor didn't know what to do except to stare at her looking defeated himself. He didn't know whether to cry with her or held her close. So instead he raised a hand and touched her hair, then slowly slid it down her neck where he clasped her. She was still cold and trembling. She was so weak but her grasp on the pocket watch was firm.

And the flame on the Doctor's eyes returned.

" _You wrenched the pocket watch out of her hands…"_ he said in dead whisper. "She'd never let it go…"

The receiving end didn't like the sound of it and immediately went on defense. "Why would I do that to a helpless lady? It was given to me by one of my crew by the time I got to the pit to take a look. Calm down now."

The Doctor blinked down several times, gave a sigh and looked up at her face again. She tears had stopped but her damp cheeks didn't add colour to her already ashen face. How he wanted to bring her back to the sun…

"Right, I'm sorry, Captain." He said after a long look on her face. "We ought to be going."

"You know what to do with her?" he inquired as he watched her pull the blanket on her shoulder again, wrapped her up on his arms and carried her again off her feet, "She going to be alright?"

"She will be." The Doctor looked the Fuotar and his serious features softened. "I ought to be thanking you for saving her. I'm sorry."

Ruffold shook his head. "She must be very important."

The Doctor eyed him very intensely, before looking down at her still body.

"She is." He began walking out of the room with Ruffold watching him curiously.

"What will you do about the pocket watch?" he called as he followed the pinstriped Time Lord out of the room into the corridor. "They wanted her the moment they laid eyes on her and the pocket watch. Now that I think of it you don't think it coincidence, do you—?"

"Nope." Was the quick answer, "They _know something_ and if I find out they are the reason she is here like this then they'll pay. Humanoids are plenty smart materials in the race and I wouldn't waste a breath _not suspecting them_. _They ought to know._ I'm going after them."

"What— you will raid them with only you and the TARDIS?"

"We've done more than enough, yet not too many." The Doctor remembered the pathway towards the dock where the TARDIS is and went on with the Captain of the ship trotting behind him. "By the way, I noticed the other show room did not have the same three locked-door security as hers. Why is that?"

"I told you there was an attempted robbery."

"Isn't that just strange. And the attempt was on her room, suppose?"

"Yes."

Ruffold saw the Doctor's back tensed and knew the Time Lord just about found another reason to be angry.

"I know what you're thinking, Doctor… but wouldn't it be dangerous for her? Rose, you say?"

They were nearly at the dock pit of the ship where the TARDIS was located but when the Doctor heard the name, he stopped in full with his chin turning up. Instinct or not, that name would always make him stop.

The Captain watched him turn back with serious eyes.

"For her safety, don't tell anyone about this, Ruffold… and no, I will be taking care of her health issues first… After all, when it comes to my own kind, _I'm the best Doctor_ she can ever have."

The Fuotar watched as the Doctor carried her to the door of the blue box with mixed feelings.

The Doctor stopped in front of the TARDIS with no intention of letting her go. He didn't want to let Rose down mostly because she didn't have any slippers on, but the fact that she had already mustered some of her strength, and was now clinging her right hand on his clothes, while the other still holding on the pocket watch was making him more hesitant to part away even for a second.

All the same, the Doctor only needed two fingers for this and he did so by little effort—and snapped his fingers—rendering the TARDIS open its door, before smiling down on the lady companion he dearly loved and missed.

 _"Come on, Rose. Let's make you all pink and yellow again. Let's take you home."_

* * *

 ** _*TBD*_**

 _ **A/N:** I'm also crappy with feelings so is the Doctors...?_

Rose Tyler you...sweet! :)

 **~Thanks for Reading~**


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